For Better And For Worse
Chapter 74

Bruno’s home.

Francis is going to Bruno’s house this evening. The guard informed Madame Florence and introduced Francis.

Francis: good evening ma’am.

Florence: good evening sir, take a seat!

Francis: thank you. I am a friend of your husband, I came to see him…

Florence: wait a moment, he will be back soon….

Francis: OK.

Florence: what are you drinking?

Francis: water will be fine.

Florence: ok, excuse me!…

She’s going to bring him a drink and excuses herself to go back to work in the kitchen. A little later, Bruno arrives and enters. His wife arrives to greet him when he enters. Francis had his back to him.

Florence: welcome darling, how was the day?

Bruno: it went well, thank you.

Florence: okay, your friend came to see you…

Bruno: my friend?…

Francis gets up and turns to them.

Francis: Bruno, my old friend, what a pleasure to see you again!

Bruno was shocked but he played along.

Bruno: hey, Francis!

They hug each other. Florence brings her husband’s bag inside.

Bruno: what the hell are you doing here Francis?

Francis: you have a truly lovely and welcoming wife Bruno.

Bruno: I’m going to reimburse Gordjo’s money, you just have to give me a little more time. It’s not like I deliberately misplaced his merchandise. What happened to me can happen to anyone. Besides, it happened to you too, no, maybe I’m wrong?

Florence returns and they smile while having a friendly conversation.

Florence: the meal will be ready soon, you have to taste this special dish that I concocted, Mr. Francis.

Francis: ah I can’t wait, thank you Ms. Florence.

She goes into the kitchen.

Bruno: what are you playing Francis?

Francis: with Gordjo, there is no mercy in business.

Bruno: Yet he didn’t ask you to repay when you were arrested, right?

Francis: it’s the boss who demands his money, it’s not me. I’m only acting as an intermediary so you better hurry.

Florence arrives and invites them to dinner. After the meal, he leaves.

Restaurant.

Célestin and Stella are having dinner in a restaurant this evening.

Célestin:…otherwise, how are you coping with Krist’s death?

Stella: well, we accept it little by little but it’s harder for Isabelle. She still imagines that he is alive.

Célestin: yes I understand it. I can’t even imagine what she feels.

Stella: yes, life is so unfair to her.

Célestin: otherwise, speaking of us, I would like to introduce you to my parents. Well, if you want…

Stella: really, are you serious?

Célestin: I’m very serious, my love. So, do you agree?

Stella: of course yes. When do you want us to go?

Célestin: the weekend.

Stella: That’s good, I don’t have classes on weekends.

Célestin: great! We will go in the morning and return in the evening.

Stella: Okay.

Isabelle’s home.

Isabelle was bored at home alone. She was just talking into the void to her fetus. She hears the doorbell ring and goes to open it. It was Severin. She lets him in.

Séverin: it looks like you were bored!

Isabelle: obviously, I’m all alone at home.

Séverin: and Stella?

Isabelle: she has dinner with Célestin.

Séverin: hum, so you see that it is not good for the woman to be alone.

Isabelle: I didn’t decide to be alone. I still suffer from it.

Séverin: well, I’m here to put an end to your suffering for a few moments.

Isabelle: and I thank you.

Séverin: you and I are good together, don’t you think? We understand each other so well.

Isabelle: yes, that’s why I love you.

Séverin: you know very well what I want to talk about, Isabelle. What’s holding you back now?

Isabelle: what’s holding me back is that I don’t love you the way you would have liked. I like you as a friend.

Séverin: but I want to be more than that Isabelle, I want us to get married.

Isabelle: It’s impossible.

Séverin: your baby needs a father, and you need a husband. You are young and beautiful, you cannot remain a widow.

Isabelle: that’s not for you to decide.

Séverin: I know but I have to, Isabelle, and you have a man in front of you who can really fulfill you and make you truly happy.

Isabelle: understand me Séverin, I… I can’t marry you because… because marriage is based on love but I don’t have this love for you. So, I could never be happy with you as a woman. If you love me then let’s stay friends because that’s the only way you make me happy.

Séverin: I can’t accept that, Isabelle. When your husband was still here I could understand him but now he’s not here so you have no reason to reject me.

Isabelle: of course I have a reason, I still love my husband and my heart only belongs to him…

Séverin (furious): well, stop loving a dead person Isabelle, I love you and I want you to become my wife…

Isabelle: you always knew how to cheer me up and comfort me Séverin, but today, you are breaking my heart. I do not want to see you anymore.

Séverin: What kind of woman are you, in God’s name?

Isabelle: go away, Séverin. (Furious): Go away, I tell you, and never come back here again.

Séverin gets up and leaves, angry. She opens the gate for him and he goes out. She closes it and returns to the living room. She plops down on the couch and sighs.

Isabelle: what do they not understand about I don’t like them?

A little later, Célestin brings Stella home after their dinner and the two tell each other about their evenings.

Stella: If you don’t get rid of him, he’s really going to cause you trouble Isabelle.

Isabelle: I know and I try but he doesn’t want to understand anything.

Stella: you know, men are also very stubborn and determined when they want something. You’re going to have to stop being nice to him Isabelle, if you want him to leave you alone. It worked with Doctor Roger.

Isabelle: you are right Stella. THANKS.

Hector’s home.

Claire was all alone at home, in her room surfing the internet. She sees a photo of a badly beaten man on Instagram and starts thinking about what happened with Séverin. In fact, ever since that day, she hasn’t stopped thinking about it, over and over again. She was obsessed with it but she had already said goodbye to Séverin so she couldn’t go back to him. She dreams of this moment every night, yet Séverin has forgotten that day.

Claire: ah, why can’t I stop thinking about him, I’m not in love with him, no… what’s happening to me? Tomorrow I have to go back to see him… no, no and no, never!

A FEW DAYS LATER.

It’s the weekend. Around 10 a.m., Célestin goes to pick up Stella and they go to her parents’ house. Having already warned them, they were prepared to receive them. Célestin therefore introduces his fiancée to his parents and they really appreciate Stella because she was able to be kind and respectful towards them. Stella talks with Célestin’s mother while he talks with his father. A hearty meal has been prepared and they enjoy it with gusto. The family day went well until 3 p.m. and Célestin decided to return to town with his fiancée. So they say goodbye to their parents and leave.

Célestin’s home.

A certain Mélanie visits Célestin with a child on her arm, Séraphin comes to open the door for her.

Séraphin: good evening mademoiselle.

Mélanie: good evening Célestin.

Séraphin: no, my name is Séraphin.

Mélanie: ah, you changed your identity…

Séraphin: no. In fact, Célestin is my brother.

Mélanie: ah, are you twins?

Seraphim: That’s it.

Melanie: oh, I’m sorry.

Seraphim: No, don’t be. Do you know my brother?

Mélanie: yes, we know each other. I need to see him and talk to him.

Seraph: he is not here yet, but he will return soon. You enter ?

Melanie: thank you.

She comes in and he sets her up, gives her a drink and they sit down to talk. Séraphin was very surprised by the things he learned. A little later, Célestin and Stella first arrive at his house. Séraphin comes to open the door and introduces them. Célestin and Stella were arm in arm. Mélanie gets up while breastfeeding her baby.

Mélanie: good evening Célestin.

Célestin (very surprised): Mélanie, what are you doing here?

Mélanie: I’m bringing you your child. It’s a girl, her name is Irene. Hello my darling, here is dad.

The atmosphere has completely changed in the room, Stella steps back, Célestin looks at his brother, Mélanie looks at Célestin and Stella and looks at her baby.

Isabelle’s home.

This evening, Séverin visits Isabelle again. She refuses to let him in.

Isabelle: I told you that I don’t want to see you again, what do you want?

Séverin: you can’t reject me like that Isabelle…

Isabelle: and why not, I don’t like being harassed.

Séverin: I’m just expressing my love to you, it’s not harassment.

Isabelle: of course yes, since you don’t want to give up and I don’t want to. Go away please.

Séverin: don’t push me to force you to marry me, Isabelle.

Isabelle: you can’t force me to marry you Séverin, how will you do that? Leave me alone please.

She goes back inside. Séverin gets back into his car. A few minutes later, Isabelle receives a WhatsApp notification. She opens the message, it comes from Célestin with a photo.

Message: you have such a beautiful body!

The photo downloads and Isabelle sees her totally naked photo washing herself.

Isabelle: oh shit, what a pervert! How did he get this photo?

Isabelle goes out angrily and sees him already going far away. She goes back inside. A few minutes later, Célestin and Stella arrive after a silent journey. They are in front of the house and talking.

Stella: what’s the story between you?

Célestin: he was my ex, we separated almost a year ago. She’s the one who dumped me for another straight-A guy and she never called me to tell me she was pregnant.

Stella: and today she brings you a child.

Célestin: yes it’s weird, I have to clarify this.

Stella: While we wait for you to clarify this, it’s better that we press pause, right?

Célestin: yes, you are right and I understand perfectly. I’m sorry.

Stella: no, it’s me who’s sorry. Bye !

She goes downstairs and Célestin leaves. She rings the bell and Isabelle comes to open the door. Once inside, she tells him bitterly.